New areas are open for offshore wind technology in the United States.

The U.S. Department of Interior's Minerals Management Service designated five areas on the Outer Continental Shelf for testing new energy technologies related to wind power, wave energy and ocean currents.

The five areas are located off the coasts of California, Delaware, Florida, Georgia and New Jersey. The agency said in a statement that it is proposing limited, temporary leases in these areas for data collection and technology testing. Commercial energy production will not be allowed yet.

In November 2007 the MMS proposed allowing such short-term leases and requested detailed information from parties wishing to obtain such leases. In response, the agency received more than 40 nominations for research projects, of which 16 could be located in the five newly designated areas.

Ten of the proposed projects are wind power projects and will be located off the coasts of Delaware, Georgia and New Jersey. There are also four ocean current projects located near the Florida coast and two wave energy projects located off the Northern California shore. Public comments on the proposed lease areas are due by June 17.